94 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



pares the ground for the seeding of your cover crop if you desire one. 

 If a few of the nuts do not drop they are easily removed by shaking the 

 limbs with a hook attached to a long pole. Then they are picked up and 

 put in sacks, and spread on trays in a shed or in the shade to dry. Then 

 they can be bleached, dried again, and sacked for market. 



The demand for fancy grade walnuts in this valley is so great that 

 the local trade takes more than we can produce, even at higher prices 

 than the California "Walnut Growers' Association pays for better nuts. 

 It will be only a short time, however, until our production will be of 

 sufficient quantity to affiliate with advantage with the California Walnut 

 Growers' Association, for no one with intelligence and sufficient finances 

 to produce a bearing walnut grove will be so blind as not to take 

 advantage of such an opportunity. 



The California Walnut Growers' Association has been most successful 

 through the efforts of its President, Mr. C. C. Teague, and its Secretary, 

 Mr. A. C. Thorpe, who are men of long and large experience in citrus 

 as well as walnut marketing. With 75 per cent of the walnut growers 

 behind the association, it is enabled to guarantee every requisite de- 

 manded by the trade. We must profit by the experience of others. 

 Look at the condition of the peach and grape growers without organi- 

 zation ! On the other hand look at the citrus and raisin growers with 

 their organization. Eight or nine years ago wholesale jobbers were 

 afraid to buy raisins more than twenty-four hours ahead at one time. 

 There was no organization. It was every fellow for himself. But now, 

 due to the Kaisin Association, these buyers purchase a year's supply at 

 one time. They have profited by the experience of others. This year 

 the California AValnut Growers' Association handled about 75 per cent 

 of the crop of the State. Last year they handled 65 per cent of the crop 

 at a total cost to the growers of about 3 per cent, including advertising, 

 salaries, etc. They have made standard grades and pack, and sell 

 entirely through brokers' connections, of which they have more than 

 one hundred in the United States. They have more than twenty local 

 associations affiliated with them. I hope it will not be long before the 

 San Joaquin Valley affiliates with them. These associations are located 

 in the different producing sections. The local growers are members 

 of the local association and the local association has representatives in 

 the councils of the head association. The association owns and supplies 

 its own graders, buys bags, twine, etc.. at a minimum price for the local 

 association, thus assuring absolute uniformity in gracling and packing. 

 They make immediate payments to the local association of 90 per cent 

 of each shipment as soon as shipped, the K) per cent being held back 

 to pay the expense of advertising, sales, and possible loss, also to equalize 

 the pools — the sum which each shipper gets in case there is a carry over. 

 Under this system favoritism is impossible. Besides this they have 

 their representatives in Europe as well as in the different sections of 

 the United States, are thonmghly familiar with all walnut conditions, 

 and conseciuently are in a position to handle their product to the best 

 advantage. How different from many perishable crops which you raise, 

 and then sit idly by and allow youi- income to be decimated by un- 

 organized market conditions. This, witli the fact that a properly cared 

 for walnut grove of the right vtirieties in full bearing aiut under proper 

 conditions should easily net $300 per acre, makes walnut culture in the 

 lower San Joaquin Valley look most promising. 



